Fear in the Forest: A Crowner John Mystery, Book 7

June 1195: A tall, brown mare gallops into the sleepy village of Sigford, its rider dragged by the stirrup, the broken shaft of an arrow protruding from his back. The embroidered badge on the dead man's tunic identifies him as a senior officer of the Royal Forest. But with plenty of money still in the victim's purse, the motive is a mystery. When a second forest officer is violently attacked, County Coroner Sir John de Wolfe begins to uncover evidence of a sinister conspiracy. And why is his unscrupulous brother-in-law, the sheriff Sir Richard de Revelle, taking such an interest in the case?

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Publisher's Summary

June 1195: A tall, brown mare gallops into the sleepy village of Sigford, its rider dragged by the stirrup, the broken shaft of an arrow protruding from his back. The embroidered badge on the dead man's tunic identifies him as a senior officer of the Royal Forest. But with plenty of money still in the victim's purse, the motive is a mystery. When a second forest officer is violently attacked, County Coroner Sir John de Wolfe begins to uncover evidence of a sinister conspiracy. And why is his unscrupulous brother-in-law, the sheriff Sir Richard de Revelle, taking such an interest in the case?

Fear in the Forest is an enjoyable listen. In addition to a being a well paced mystery, it is also a good study of the Crowner, his wife, and his mistress. Both the reader and the Crowner discover unexpected truths about his character. As in other Crowner John stories, Fear in the Forest contain a wealth of period details and history. The royal forest system, laws and courts are intriguing. The corruption in the courts and enforcement of the laws could easily have taken place in any century. Is it comforting to know that things never change?

Read, rather than narrated; very even pacing. The story, quite simple, needed something more to lift it into “drama”.

The medi-evil details, very scholarly, the multi-faceted threads and giving all the possible factors that “might be”, sub-clause after sub-clause, are well presented, but there are just too many of them.

"Fear in the Forest", is actually #7 in this series but the1st one I read. I had no trouble on this account to catch-up with the story. I like history which there is good detail of 1195 English history: absence of King Richard I, drip down politics of loyalties between King Richard and his brother John, outlaws and nuns, lifestyles of the not so rich nor so famous. A good book.

I marked down the story to 3 stars only because of the story. It is good, but not suspenseful. I did like the scene of the big fight in the forest. Knight is a coroner in this century and uses his obvious love of science and history to write an accurate story. The narration is perfect. It would rate a movie "G" as it only implies bawdiness of the Medieval Ages.

I will buy another Knight book, "The Witch Hunter" is the next in the Crowner John series. And I will listen to it when I am in a history mood.

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